Feds arrest 5, say oxycodone sold from smoke shops

Law enforcement officers arrested five people in Pierce County early Tuesday morning to face charges of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

Court documents say that Billy Miranda Flores, 40, of Puyallup was selling hundreds of pills of oxycodone each day from his business, the Indian Smoke Shop.

Flores and Bill Celeya Flores, 59, of Tacoma, were arrested. Court documents say the two, who are son and father, run the Indian Smoke Shop on Puyallup Tribal trust land in Milton and the Little Red Smoke Shop on tribal trust land in Tacoma.

Three other people charged and arrested are Tiny Bean-Flores, 28, of Tacoma; Danny Lee Sherwood, 25 of Federal Way; and Shelbie Ingham, 18. A fifth defendant, Jay Timothy Morehead, 24, is a fugitive.

Court documents accuse Billy Miranda Flores of being the principal supplier of oxycodone to other members of the conspiracy who then distributed the drugs. He and his father sold the drug for $40 to $80 per pill, prosecutors allege.

During an 18-month investigation, father and son sold the drug to undercover agents from their smoke shops, prosecutors allege. Court documents say others charged helped to facilitate the drug deals involving undercover agents and informants.

Agents served search warrants Tuesday at homes, businesses and vehicles, seizing guns, cash and what prosecutors called “hundreds of prescription narcotics.”

Conspiracy to distribute oxycodone is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.